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O. P. JOHNSON. Gyster Package.

Patented April 12,1881.

(No Model.)

No.24o,143.

each other.

PATENT Errea.

OLIVER P. JOHNSON, OF CAMBRIDGE, MARYLAND.

oYsTERl-PACKAGE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 240,143,

dated April 12, 1881.

Application filed February 26, 1881. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, OLIVER P. J oHNsoN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cambridge, in the county of Dorchester and State of Maryland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Oyster-Packages; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to Which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to theaccompanyin g drawings, and to letters or figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to an improved package especially adapted to the preservation and transportation of oysters.

It consists of a vesselformed of two barrels, placed one inside of the other, and having a Wall or packing of non-conducting material between said barrels, said packing` surrounding not only the sides of the inner barrel but also the bottom and head thereof.

The invention relates also to the combination, with the package above described, of a removable ice-chamber peculiarly constructed and arranged to hold a body of ice within the mass of oysters in such manner that the ice and oysters can be kept entirely separate from The ice-vessel can be withdrawn without disturbing the oysters and emptied or filled, or the contents of the ice-vessel can be removed by simply turning the package over on its side. The ice-vessel is so constructed that it can be introduced and passed through the oysters and secured atthe bottom and the top Without marring or injuring any of the oysters. A

The invention also relates to a novel method and mechanism for Wrapping paper around the inner package to form a non-conducting Wall. The mechanism for this purpose consists of the combination, with devices for centering and rotating the barrel, of a roller constructed to conform to the shape ofthe barrel and to press against the paper, plied in a continuous sheet.

Figure lis a longitudinal section of a package embodying my improvement. Fig-2 i's a which is suptop or plan View. Fig. 3 is a section of a por- 5o tion of the Walls and the non-conducting packing on a larger scale. Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the mechanism for wrapping the inner package; and Fig. 5 is an end view of the same. 4

In the drawings, A represents a package substantially ofthe sha-pe of an ordinary barrel, it being preferably formed with more or less bilge. It is madeliquid-tight andas strong as possible.

B B are the heads of the inner package, which may be inserted Whole, though the upper one, B, is afterward provided with a central aperture, as will be explained.

C represents an outer barrel, also formed as tight as practicable, though tightness is in this not so essential asgreat strength, it being mainly intended to protect the inner package from injury. It should, however, be as tight as an ordinary barrel, in order to prevent 7o the entrance of moisture from the'outside to the packing. It is provided with heads E and E', the former being provided with a central aperture at e.

Before the inner barrel, A, is placed Within the outer one, O, it is wrapped With the nonconducting packing D. I prefer to form the packing of comparatively thin sheets of paper. Inasmuch as paper in-this form is made dat, much difficulty arises from properly Wrapping 8o it around a barrel. To obviate this I have devised and shown a mechanism adapted to compress the paper and compel it to conform properly to the outer face of the barrel. This mechanism is constructed and operated as follows:

After the barrel A has been formed and provided with the heads B and B it is mounted in the frame NN', said frame having attached thereto suitable centering and rotating devices 9o at O O', whereby the barrel may be rotated I upon its central longitudinal axis.

P represents a roller adapted to hold and supply the paper which is Wrapped thereon in continuous sheets. This roller may be situated either beneath the barrel or to one side thereof.,

Q represents a pressing-roller, preferably mounted above the barrel. In cross-sectionit is of shorter diameter in the center than at the ends, so that it shall conform to the outer face of the barrel, and is pressed downward by means of springs q, arranged to bear against the roller-journals. The springs permit the roller to yield, so that it can conform to the barrel in all positions, and thus avoid the necessity of having the barrel centered with absolute correctness.

In operation the end of the sheet of paper on roller P is tacked or glued or otherwise secured to the barrel, which is then rotated by means of the devices at O' until a sufficient number of convolutions of paper have been formed around it. rJhe paper should be moistened, and the roller Q, operates not only to prevent slack at the center or bilge of the barrel but also to compress the edges of the sheet of paper downward or inward, so that they shall be packed against the ends of the barrel. Paste or mucilage should be applied to the sheet of paper as it is being wrapped, in order that the convolutions may be secured together and form a tight, compact wrapper. After the inner barrel has been wrapped it is inserted in the outer barrel, which has been previously partially constructed-that is, the lower parts of the staves and the head E' have been secured together, though the headE has not been as yet inserted, and the upper ends of the staves are loose. Before the insertion ofthe inner barrel the disk F of packing is arranged either upon the head E' ofthe outer barrel or head, B', of the inner. After the inner package has been introduced a disk of packing material, G, is then placed upon the top of the inner head, B, and the outer barrel is finishedthat is to say, the head E is iuserted and the barrel is hooped up. After the barrel A has been wrapped, and either before or after it has been introduced into the outer barrel, C, it is provided with a central circular aperture through the upper head, B, corresponding to, though of somewhat less diameter than, the aperture ein head E. The central opening in the upper head is closed by acover, H, which is held in place by a hinged arm, I, and a lock of any suitable character at i.

I' is a non-conducting packing, preferably formed of rubber, attached to the lower face of the cover H. If desired, the cover H may be arranged to rest upon a shoulder at h in head E.

K represents an ice-receptacle, arranged to be introduced into the inner barrel, A, and to be centrally supported therein.

Heretofore it has been customary, in packing oysters for transportation, to put pieces of ice directly into the mass of oysters. Under some circumstances this is'objectionable, and it is more advantageous to have the ice and the oysters in separate receptacles.

The ice-vessel which I have represented at K is cylindrical in form, and is constructed of such size that it can be inserted through the central opening in the head of the package. It should be constructed so that it shall have a firm support at both ends, as the packages are subjected to severe handling, and lthe icevessel would be strained and broken if not properly supported. The bottom may be flat and held in place by an annular ring upon the bottom B', or it may be formed with a conical recess, adapted to serve as a seat for a pin attached to the bottom of the package. I prefer, however, that form which I have shown, the ice-vessel being shown in the drawings as having a conical bottom, K', provided with a central stud or pin, 7c, adapted to be supported in a plate or ring, 7c'. When thus constructed this ice-vessel can be introduced directly through the oysters without any danger whatsoever of destroying or mutilating the oysters. However, othermethods of supporting the vessel may be used if desired. At the top the icevessel is provided with a screw-threaded cover, m, and with a laterally-projecting ange, m', arrangedto rest upon the headB of the barrel. Upon the top of the ice-vessel rests the packing I', which prevents the escape of water from the ice-vessel and the entrance of heat.

Although it is preferable under most circumstances to employ an ice-receptacle substantially of the nature described, yet this receptable may be dispensed with and the ice may be introduced directly to the oysters vin the manner already described without departing from the other features of my invention. When the ice-vessel is thus dispensed with a disk of wood or other suitable material should be inserted beneath the packing at I', so as to make a tight covering for the aperture.

At L there is an eccentric aperture through the head of the package, for the purpose of tilling it with oysters. It may be of any suitable size, and is especially advantageous when the ice-vessel K is being used, as the package can be lled without withdrawing the ice-vessel.

The heads B and E and the packing G are clamped tirmly together by means of bolts and nuts at b, so 'that said parts shall be eompactly secured together.

The staves of the barrels may be provided with a chine if desired, though under some circumstances it may be preferably dispensed with.

1. The herein-described package for transporting oysters, consisting of the inner barrel, A, having the permanent heads B and B', the outer barrel, G, having the permanent heads E and E', the non-conducting packings F and Gr between the inner and outer heads, and the packing D between the inner and the outer staves, as set forth.

2. The combination, with the inner barrel Vhaving the permanent head B, the outerbarrel having the permanent head E, and the packing G and D, of the removable ice-vessel K,

IOO

adapted to be introduced through the packing In testimony whereof I aix my signature G and the heads E and B. in presence of two Witnesses.

3. In an oyster-package, the combina-tion, with the inner barrel, A, havingabilge at the OLIVER P' JOHNSON' 5 center, und an outer` barrel, C, of an interposed Witnesses non-conducting packing composed of super- M. P; CALLAN, posed convoiutions formed from a fiat contin- HENRY H. BLISS. uous sheet, as set forth. 

